Denise Robbins, a software development manager, integrates her knowledge of computers and technology into all of her romantic, romantic thrillers. Her published work includes “It Happens in Threes and Killer Bunny Hill” with Connect the Dots and Never Tempt Danger, scheduled for release in 2010.
I saw Denise and asked about a unique combination of technology and fiction.
Your computer background was obviously a big factor in the plots of your books. How are you interested in technology?
It all started when I was a kid. In elementary school, we went on a trip to the electronics store. There we saw all sorts of cool gadgets, such as small calculators, electronic games, and then ... a computer. Holy cow! I could play chess on the computer.
At about the same time, my dad brought the modem home. I'm not talking about today's modems that fit on the palm of your hand, we are talking about a hippopotamus machine, which looked like a typewriter with a telephone connector attached to it.
Some readers may not understand the importance of computers in the fight against crime. Explain how important it is to understand new technologies to stay ahead of the bad guy.
Computers are used far more than people think about the fight against crime. One simple example is the FBI website, which provides public information about some of the criminals they are looking for. This website not only informs the public, but now a large number of people are looking for "bad guys."
Local police units have computers on each patrol car, which can be used in different scenarios. Remember the last time you were abandoned? A police officer can put your license plate into a computer and check whether the car was stolen, your driver’s license or even register your car. A policeman making the usual stop may not seem very interesting or not used for computer technology, but what you may not understand is that the same computer that told the officer that the car was stolen can also provide information about arrest and warrants. Information obtained through the computer by an officer makes him more able to make the right decision on how to approach the situation.
Computers also provide law enforcement agencies with the resources and technology necessary to keep up with today's criminals in the cyber world. Some criminals kidnap identities or buy goods with other credit cards over the Internet. Internet criminals commit all sorts of crimes, such as downloading child pornography, even trying to convince a minor to meet with them somewhere that could lead to kidnapping. Without computers, it would be almost impossible to catch criminals of this nature. Through computers, law enforcement can monitor these actions and make the Internet more secure.
Because of computers and instant access to a lot of information, law enforcement agencies have the right to turn a dangerous situation into a much safer one than before.
Explain a little about nanotechnology and their current use.
Nanotechnology is a technology based on the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules to build structures of complex, atomic specifications. The nanoscale is about a thousand times smaller than micro, which is about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair.
Products already on the market include: burn and wound dressings, water filtration, means for gluing teeth, coatings for easier cleaning glass, car bumpers and catalytic converters, protective and glare coatings for glasses and cars, sunscreen and cosmetics, stain-free clothing and mattresses, ink, longer tennis balls and lighter and stronger tennis racks.
The ski jacket manufactured by Franz Ziener GmbH & Co is based on nanotechnology. Windproof and waterproof properties do not receive a surface coating of the shell, but using nanofibres.
InMat company makes long-lasting tennis balls, covering the inner core with clay polymer nanocomposites. These tennis balls have a doubled life expectancy for regular balls.
What do you see in the future with nanotechnology?
Today we just scratched the surface of what nanotechnology will do for us. In research and development there are many applications for nanotechnology. In the medical field, there are Qdots that identify the location of cancer cells in the body and nanoparticles that deliver chemotherapeutic drugs directly to the cancer cells to minimize damage to healthy cells. Can you imagine that you do not need to expose the whole body to chemotherapy, and the part that requires treatment?
Nanotechnology is also huge in the field of science and technology, in particular, artificial diamonds. In recent years, research has been carried out on the production of artificial diamonds, no, not cubic zirconia, but “real” diamonds are grown in a laboratory, not in nature. Manchester diamonds are a huge breakthrough that will only increase. Diamond has the highest thermal conductivity of any material. With every improvement in computer chip technology, machines are getting faster and hotter. At some point, chips and computer entrails will melt. Diamonds are the answer for faster computers without heat. For the same reason thermal conductivity artificial diamonds could make lasers with extreme power. The material may allow a cell phone to fit into a watch and iPod for storing 10,000 films, rather than just 10,000 songs.
I could go on, but you get it. Nanotechnology is the next great wave, and I hope it will hit soon.
What are some of the problems in blending advanced technology with fiction?
The task of creating techno-fiction is to know how to keep the story in motion at the same time, giving enough visual pictures of technology so that the reader can understand without discarding boring information from above.
It seems that the field of technology is more like the human world. How did you find yourself in the field and why, in your opinion, not so many women?
I think, since my dad was in technology, not the way I do today, I was meant for computers.
Getting a job with a government contractor in the Ministry of Defense hooked me to technology. I was part of a team that built software for use in military medical facilities. When I taught computer programs and programming to adults, I found my love for all of these. computer stuff. There is nothing like watching a spark in the eyes of someone when a light bulb comes on in their head after they have learned to write code and see the result.
Why there are not so many women in science and technology, this is a question that has been asked quite a lot in recent years. One simple answer is how parents and teachers present the professions of information technology and other professions to their daughters and students. This is about promoting and providing role models.
Another explanation for the absence of women in their careers in the field of information technology is confusion and preference. Why do I say this as if they are mixing? Many people think that IT work is voluntary. They imagine that someone is sitting in front of a computer for eight hours or more a day with whom you cannot talk. Ask any of the engineers who work with me and they will tell you that this is not the case.
In general, women prefer to work with people, and men prefer to work with things. With psychological delusions, many women choose a different career.
Do you have a lot of male readers because of your interesting stories? How do you draw them?
Honestly, I'm not sure that I have too many male readers, but I have a few and I want more. I think as soon as the guys find out that my novels are based on interesting and real technologies, they have tension and mystery, woven into action and adventures that they will want to read. All it takes is some good people ... to spread this word.
Although my novels are fiction, when my hero or heroine shoots a weapon, all readers should know that I have done research and had experience several times. My first time I shot anything, but the shotgun on the skit (from which I am a very good shot) was when I wrote “It happens in Threes”. I should have known how it looked. I contacted a friend who taught me all the various right and wrong, and I liked to see how I try to fill the video and always forget to remove the protection.
Right now, my attempt to “draw them” is to give the guy that I see a copy of the book, ask him to read it and let him know what he thinks. So far, the reaction has been positive. Another little tidbit that helps to attract men, as I have other men, is viewing and editing my novels for a male perspective. It always helps me when Steve or David says: "No one would say that." Then they wrinkle their nose and break at my job. I am very grateful. I also have friends who are former military men, and they correct some of my ideas.
How do you deal with the fine line between providing too much technological information and the flow of history?
This is a great question. Computer stuff can be very dry and boring, take it from me. What I do is to use technology and introduce readers to small pieces, such as memorial services for information, so that technology is part of a puzzle or part of a solution in a puzzle. I use technology and break it down so that my characters show you enough so that you understand, and at the same time are curious. Wait until you learn about nanotechnology at Killer Bunny Hill. I'll give you a hint. Diamonds are not a girl's best friend.
Where do you come up with your ideas?
My ideas for the story come from different places, and in most cases it’s just a question of how to sit with a pen and paper and ask myself about the specific characters that I have just defined in my mind. Sometimes, as in the case of my second novel, Killer Bunny Hill, the seed for the novel just hit me while flying around the country by plane. In the case of my fourth novel Never Tempt Danger, the idea came from a dream. This is just the beginning, now I need to build a storyline, and it requires a little more effort.
Sometimes I take technology from my own experience, but it is still limited in scope. So what should I do? Well, here is my answer.
I once studied work several times when I accidentally met an article about custom-made diamonds. and use them as computer chips. As I continued to read this story, I learned about an organization known as DARPA, the Advanced Defense Research Agency. This agency is the central research and development department for the Ministry of Defense. They finance all types of technology research to keep our military technologically superior and in turn ensure the safety and security of military personnel. Cool stuff!
Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today, Denise!
